Portable water heater



March 8, 1966 Filed June 24, 1963 H. J- REEVE PORTABLE WATER HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ZNVENTOR March 8, 1966 H. J- REEVE PORTABLE WATER HEATER Filed June 24, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR United States Patent 3,239,649 PORTABLE WATER HEATER Horace J. Reeve, 30 27th St., Toronto, Ontario, Canada Filed June 24, 1963, Ser. No. 289,833 3 Claims. (Cl. 219310) This invention relates generally to water heating equip ment and more particularly to an apparatus adapted to heat substantial quantities of water relatively quickly, the apparatus being readily portable.

It has been found that the provisions of a portable water heater having means for the discharge of water heated therein is of great utility in such locations as service stations, hospitals, public buildings and the like where cleaning and general sanitary maintenance are constant factors.

A survey of the prior art in the field of water heating appliances reveals numerous devices adapted to supply hot water for various purposes. The majority of such prior devices are, however, static installations plumbed directly into the mains water system of the building.

Still other devices while being capable of mobility are limited in application, having spigot means only for the discharge of their contents.

Having in mind therefore the utility of a portable water heating appliance of the type heretofore identified it is a primary object of the instant invention to provide a portable water heater referred to hereinafter by the term Water Heater which will supply a relatively substantial quantity of heated water in a comparatively short period of time.

Another important object of this invention resides in the provision of a water heater which is easily moved from one location to another irrespective of Whether the water container thereof is charged or empty.

Yet another object of the invention seeks to provide a water heater the heating element of which is protected against burn-out or other damage.

Still another object of this invention provides a water heater, the contents of which may be discharged at considerable pressure via a pump unit and hose/nozzle extension.

A further object of the invention is to provide a water heater of the character herein described which is of durable, robust construction, is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which has need of a minimum of maintenance during its working life.

These and various other pertinent objects and features of the instant invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of parts and their assemblies and when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein in characters of reference refer to like parts throughout the several views.

And in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a presently preferred embodiment of the invention and showing a discharge hose and spray nozzle attached thereto.

FIG. 2 is a part sectional side elevation of the invention as illustrated in FIG. 1 taken on the line 2-2 and showing the displacement of the heating means embodied therein.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional fragmentary detail view of the body member of the invention showing a preferred form of thermal insulation used therein.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an expanded mesh or baflle incorporated in the invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the invention taken from the underside thereof.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a portable water heater generally designated by the arrow includes a container "ice body 11 of hollow cylindrical configuration having a circular base wall 12 and an open upper end 13.

Body 11, which is formed from a heavy gauge sheet steel suitably treated to resist corrosion, comprises an outer wall 14 and an inner wall 15. Wall 15 is located concentrically within outer wall 14 and being of a reduced diameter, provides an air gap 16 therebetween.

A top body 17 includes a circular Wall 18, wall 18 being defined on its peripheral edge by a downwardly depending fiange or skirt 19.

Top body 17 is adapted to be detachably attached over open end 13 of body 11, the diameter of body 17 being such as to permit its effecting a sliding fit thereon.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 it will be observed that air gap 16 is filled with a suitable thermal insulating material 20 such as for instance rock wool, fibre glass or the like. It will also be observed that an annular sealing washer 21 of inverted U section is located upon the upper edge of inner wall 15, wall 18 of top body 17 being in pressural contact therewith upon assembly. It is suggested that washer 21 be made from the material known commercially by the name neoprene but any other suitable material may be used depending upon preference.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 2 and 4, a conventional sheathed element 22 is located Within container body 11 and substantially adjacent base wall 12 thereof. Element 22 which has its outlet 23 located in a sealed and insulated housing 24 is of a high wattage type, the specific wattage being governed by the capacity of container 11 and the required heat-up period.

A baffie or shield 25 is located within container 11, substantially towards the lower end thereof but somewhat above element 22. Shield 25, which is adapted to conform with the inner peripheral face of wall 15, is retained transversely within container 11 by a circular flange 26, flange 26 projecting perpendicularly inwardly from the inner peripheral face of wall 15.

It is suggested that shield 25 be formed from an expanded mesh material 25A of a non-corroding nature or from a material suitably treated to prevent corrosion.

A conventional constant delivery pump 27 is mounted upon top body 17 and has an extended intake pipe 28 disposed downwardly within container 11, the terminal end 28A of pipe 28 resting on shield 25.

The discharge outlet 29 of pump 27 is adapted to receive a flexible hose member 30, hose 30 being connected to a high pressure spray gun 31 the barrel or wand of which is detachably attached thereto so that different lengths may be utilized depending upon the exigencies of the cleaning job being performed.

Water heater 10 has a plurality of swivel mounted castors 32 attached to base wall 12 and projecting downwardly there-from, castors 32 enabling water heater 10 to be moved easily to any desired location.

During operation of water heater 10, container body 11 thereof is filled with water 34 and, if required, a suitable measure of cleaning fluid, a hinged panel 33 located within wall 18 of top body 17 allowing access to container 11. Element 22 is connected to a mains supply outlet and water 34 allowed to heat up to a pre-determined temperature, thermostat means being incorporated to achieve this requirement.

Upon water 34 reaching the necessary temperature, pump 27 is switched on, water 34 thereafter being inducted through inlet pipe 28 and discharged at pressure through discharge outlet 29 whereafter it may be discharged through the spray nozzle 31A of gun 31 and directed upon an area or object to be cleaned.

As element 22 is located subjacent shield 25 the danger of burn-out due to complete drain off of the water 34 from container 11 is obviated, inlet pipe 28 being prevented from inducting water from a level below shield 25, element 22 therefore being immersed in water at all times. Referring now to FIG. 5 it will be seen that base wall 12 is supplied with a plurality of orifices 35, orifices 35 being located at spaced apart intervals through that section of base Wall 12 which bridges gap 16 between outer wall 14 and inner wall 15 of container body, 11. Therefore in the event of any moisture escaping over seal 21 and entering gap 16 such moisture will drain through thermal insulation 20 and emit through orifices 35 rather than accumulate within gap 16 and cause corrosion of container body 11 and saturation of insulation 20.

It will be readily apparent that water heater 10 and its accompanying discharge apparatus finds a wide and ready application to many cleaning problems, such as for instance, the sanitizing of hospital floors, washrooms, and the like, car and truck washing both external and internal and many other circumstances where such work is invariably performed manually.

The general design of the individual parts of the invention as explained above may be varied according to requirements in regards to manufacture and production thereof, while still remaining Within the spirit and principle of the invention, without prejudicing the novelty thereof.

The embodiments of this invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A portable water heater wherein a water solution is contained for use in cleaning and comprising: a container body having a closed lower end Wall and an open upper end; a top body removably secured over said open end; a pump mounted on said top body; a heating element projecting into said container body toward said lower end; a perforated baflle extending across said container above said heating element; a flexible intake pipe extending from said pump to rest on said bafile; and a discharge hose extending from said pump, whereby upon said pump being operative, said Water, heated by said heater, will be pumped out said hose, said bafile preventing the dipping of said pipe below said heater, thereby to maintain said heater immersed in water at all times to prevent burn-out thereof.

2. A portable water heater as claimed in claim 1 in which a pressure nozzle including an extension Wand therefor is secured to said discharge hose for the controlled application of said heated water solution.

3. A portable Water heater as claimed in claim 1 in which said container body is double walled to contain insulation material between the Walls, said lower end wall defining drain holes therein, whereby condensate in said insulation material can be drained, thereby to prevent saturation thereof.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,925,832 9/1933 Fox 222-146 1,984,851 12/1934 Vinz.

2,091,838 8/1937 Staak c 219-310 X 2,123,604 7/1938 Johnson 222--146 X 2,894,102 7/1959 Morris.

RICHARD M. WOOD, Primary Examiner.

ANTHONY BARTIS, Examiner. 

1. A PORTABLE WATER HEATER WHEREIN A WATER SOLUTION IS CONTAINED FOR USE IN CLEANING AND COMPRISING: A CONTAINER BODY HAVING A CLOSED LOWER END WALL AND AN OPEN UPPER END; A TOP BODY REMOVABLY SECURED OVER SAID OPEN END; A PUMP MOUNTED ON SAID TOP BODY; A HEATING ELEMENT PROJECTING INTO SAID CONTAINER BODY TOWARD SAID LOWER END; A PERFORATED BAFFLE EXTENDING ACROSS SAID CONTAINER ABOVE SAID HEATING ELEMENT; A FLEXIBLE INTAKE PIPE EXTENDING FROM SAID PUMP TO RESET ON SAID BAFFLE; AND A DISCHARGE HOSE EXTENDING FROM SAID PUMP, WHEREBY UPON SAID PUMP BEING OPERATIVE, SAID WATER, HEATED BY SAID HEATER, WILL BE PUMPED OUT SAID HOSE, SAID BAFFLE PREVENTING THE DIPPING OF SAID PIPE BELOW SAID HEATER, THEREBY TO MAINTAIN SAID HEATER IMMERSED IN WATER AT ALL TIME TO PREVENT BURN-OUT THEREOF. 